Only trained IATA certified personnel are permitted to package and ship regulated materials covered by the federal mandates. If you have materials that meet these mandates, EHS will coordinate the packaging and shipping. At least 72 hours notice to prepare packages and shipping papers is required. Overseas shipping requests can be more complicated and time-consuming. Failure to meet regulatory requirements when shipping hazardous materials may result in citations, fines and/or imprisonment. Fines to the University can range from $250 to $500,000 per violation. In addition, individual researchers and shippers may be subject to criminal penalties of up to $500,000 and five years imprisonment.
A Hazardous Material is any Biological, Chemical or Radioactive material which is defined as being hazardous per the Department of Transportation (DOT) and/or the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). These materials can be found in the DOT Hazardous Materials Table or in the current IATA reference manual. Each item should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, as the IATA and DOT lists are quite extensive. Examples of regulated items include:
- infectious substances
- gases
- genetically modified organisms
- ignitable materials
- biological products
- corrosive materials
- diagnostic specimens
- toxic materials
- medical waste
- oxidizers
- organic peroxides
- explosives
- reactives
- flammable solids
- radioactive materials
If you are shipping, make sure you read the Shipping Research Materials SOP and the eShipGlobal Shipping Research Materials handout:
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UMass EH&S eShip Global for ALL campus research materials shipping
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Shipping Research Materials SOP [INSERT LINK]
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eShipGlobal Shipping Research Materials handout [INSERT LINK]